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Ghada and Ray Irani Residential College

“I believe residential colleges are invaluable to helping students acclimate to and make the most of their university experience — especially students coming from other countries and cultures.”

– Ray Irani PhD ’57, USC Trustee, who moved from Lebanon to Los Angeles at age 18 to attend graduate school at USC

USC Trustee Ray Irani PhD ’57 has pledged $20 million to the university, of which $15 million will create the Ghada and Ray Irani Residential College at the new USC Village. The additional $5 million will endow two faculty chairs and establish a student support fund.

Irani began his career as a research scientist at the Monsanto Co. After positions at Diamond Shamrock Corp. and the Olin Corp., he joined Occidental Petroleum Corp. in 1983 and quickly ascended to become the company’s president. Under his leadership, Occidental expanded to become the nation’s fourth largest oil and gas company. He retired from the company as chairman and CEO in 2013.

Irani Residential College will be a supportive community that integrates living, learning and extracurricular activities with a focus on performance science. The up to 320 students living in this residential college will explore their untapped potential in learning how to break down barriers inhibiting leadership, decision-making, resilience, or creative potential. Programming in this community is designed to help residents understand brain and body function, human behavior, psychology, emotion, and leadership, all with the goals of maximizing performance, both individually and within an organization or community.

For further information about student residential life programming in this residential college, visit the Residential Education site.

For information about housing selection, application deadlines, fees, and building amenities, visit the Housing site.